Ties That Bind
by Lex Noctis
Summary: At the dawn of the Reaper war Aria T'Loak had lost everything she held dear. Is it too late to recover her precious Omega before the end? Is there a way to preserve her connection to Thea Tevos? Can their bond survive the tragedy – death of their daughter, Liselle? Aria will find a way as the pirate Queen wants to have it all again.


**Title: **Ties That Bind.

**Fandom:** Mass Effect.

**Spoilers: **ME3, maybe? Doesn't really reference any of the plot points in the games.

**Pairing: **Aria T'Loak/Councilor Tevos.

**Warnings: **Mildly graphic recollection of discovering a murdered loved one; mature, bordering on explicit sexual content (f/f vanilla) and adult language.

**AN:** Well, this is what happens when I get an intriguing idea and it literally takes over my life. It all started with a through "hey, Aria and Tevos have a history, what if Tevos was the father of her daughter?" and completely spiraled out of control. This _is_ a Oneshot, the story is completed, but, damn, I did not expect it to evolve into this! It was completely incredible to write and I hope I did justice to the emotional turmoil and the struggle of trying to move on after a child's death even if in this continuity Liselle was a grown adult asari. Anyway, without further ado, enjoy the story and tell me what you thought of it!

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><p>Ties That Bind<p>

The music thumped mercilessly, it was loud and mainstream and all too predictable. It lacked the edge, there was no real grip to the rhythm, no buzzing connection that was supposed to crawl up the skin, tingle the blood in your veins, make the patrons want to forget themselves in dancing and drinking. It was pathetic. The sounds repeated themselves in a jarring loop unfit to be sounding in her presence. Oh, how she would have liked to go up the ladder and rip the speakers from the ceiling with her boitics! But she could not. The music thumped making her mouth curl in a teeth-bearing snarl. That sound was uninterrupted irritating reminder that she was just another guest on the pristine, orderly station – oh, so different from her own unruly, fee, chaotic domain.

A domain that was stolen from her. The hot blinding rage was long replaced by steady stream of ice cold determination. No one had the right to cross her and those who had the insolence to try were either dead or taught that painful lesson in full. Most of them anyway, there were some that had escaped the proper punishment. The regal asari could count all of them with the fingers of one strong hand. The General will not be added to that short list. No amount of Cerberus meat-shields, artillery or armed to the teeth dreadnoughts will save him from what was inevitably coming. She had promised the General she would return. The purple skinned asari intended to keep that promise and then some.

However, right now she was trapped on this sickeningly uptight station, in this joke of a bar. Uniting mercenary gangs under her hand again was not challenging – no more than the same maneuvering, threatening and killing off the competition she had been doing for centuries – but it took time, time that the bastard General was using to straighten defenses and keep walking her streets, keep sitting in Afterlife meaning to be the ruler of the station. Well, he could fool himself all he wanted. Controlling Omega was not about how many fancy guns you had. Intimate knowledge of the station, of the people, always keeping a hand on the pulse of the unruly, dangerous population, that was one of the pirate Queen secrets. That's how she remained in power for over two hundred years.

The commotion at the edges of her lodge distracted the asari from going down the list of mistakes the General had already made and those he will undoubtedly make in the future. There was some human woman arguing with one of her guards. She raised a brow muscle making her facial tattoo shift. Sheerk turned around and approached his boss carefully, he knew not to disturb her on small matters. The asari could see how the man was annoyed himself, but there was an air of dismissive arrogance to the way he walked in front of the visitor.

Henchmen stopped several steps away and coughed his presence. "Boss?" She did not turn her head, did not acknowledge the disturbance in any way, yet the bodyguard knew he could continue. Otherwise he would have been ordered out if not thrown off the lodge if she was in a particularly foul mood. "This is..."

"I can speak for myself!" sounded the annoyed voice. A corner of the regal asari's mouth twitched a tiny bit. That woman had some courage! "Are you Aria T'Loak?"

"Who wants to know?" drawled the asari with a bored look on her purple face.

"Nina Armenti, Immigration officer, First Class, Presidium Bureau. You have arrived on the Citadel in the company of several dozen mercenaries. Our system flagged you, but there are no records of you and your men entering the ports or going through any of the official terminals."

"How quaint. Perhaps, you should have checked all the _unofficial_ ways to enter, then."

"So, you admit that you and your thugs are here illegally!" pushed on the woman gesturing to Sheerk, the henchman grinned showing his open contempt for the regulations.

"Yes. And it only took C-Sec three weeks to figure it out." sarcasm and mockery seeped through her response, Aria had no time to indulge the lowest little bureaucrat on the totem pole.

"I don't care who you are! You're required to go through processing like all other refugees. Come with me!" The woman gestured at the exit and almost turned to go for some insane reason expecting the pirate Queen to follow. The cold response stopped her in her tracks like a swing of a whip.

"I don't think so." Aria burned the insignificant woman with her stare watching as she folded her arms below the chest. "Sheerk, get me the asari Councilor."

The guard's Omni-tool flickered and there was a full-sized holo of the Councilor standing only a few steps way. The blue skinned asari observed the picture in front of her taking only several seconds to register everything: the place, the people and, probably, guess their intentions. Still, she straightened her posture clasping her gloved hands behind her back. That formal, almost stiff posture of the high and mighty Councilor did not fool Aria at all. There was an uneasy strain in Tevos' shoulders, the way she did not look directly at her, but rather somewhere past her head, in the distance. They both ignored the subtext for the sake of appearances, but there it was – hundreds of years worth of baggage.

"Greetings, Aria. Is there something you need?"

"I'm being asked to submit to immigration processing." drawled the Queen putting on a show more for the sake of the little insect that dared to bother her and her loyal guards rather than her own amusement.

"Of course you are." Tevos glanced at her for just a second and Aria could swear there was an ironic gleam in her eyes. The Councilor leaned low typing something out of sight. "Done. What else can I do for you?"

"Nothing, thank you." This time she saw it. Just before she turned to set her eyes on the little annoyance, just for a split second they had looked each other straight in the eyes. The spark of irony was long gone. There was something weary, gaunt deep below the surface, carefully hidden behind the politeness in her green eyes. They both tried to deny the cracks in their connection, the chasm that was laying between them. And yet that expression... It hurt. The lingering pain that caused them to be so formal, that caused that uneasy, miserable tension unreadable for others, masked by layers of pretense. Maybe, she shouldn't have bothered Tevos? There was no real need, it wasn't like Aria couldn't take care of this herself.

The soft murmur "My pleasure." before the Councilor disconnected caught her by surprise. There was no pretense in it, no playing for the public, no keeping up appearances. It was honest, almost the same voice, the same tone she remembered from what seemed like so long ago. Aria knew her pupils widened, but that was the only tell she allowed to slip past her poker face, the mask of regal, all-powerful Queen.

"I think we're done here." threw Aria at the cause of this waste of her precious time. The woman shook her head and strolled away not bothering to say anything else. Sheerk took his previous spot at the top of the small ladder chuckling to himself at the misfortune of the official.

Aria took her glass of the table swirling the amber liquid in it. _"My pleasure." _Did she really mean it? They did not even talked once aside from stiff, highly professional conversations about business since the last miserable meeting in person. A dark, haunted shadow crawled up Aria's face. The last meeting. They could not avoid the subject. They had to talk about _it_, about the way _it_ happened. Tevos wanted to know, she wouldn't let it be. Aria had to relieve the whole torturous moment. It would have been fine if Aria just described it, but the stubborn, insufferable asari insisted she had to see it for herself! It did not go well. That meld was the worst possible torture the pirate Queen had ever endured. The whole scene had burned itself into the farthest reaches of her brain as it is, to relive it so vividly, to feel the other asari there with her, every time, every time they connected...

She stepped over the threshold of the conservative apartment and immediately felt that something was wrong. The rooms were always furnished at the bare minimum. The owner elected to only keep what she really needed or liked. Some tables and simple chairs, a sofa, large, powerful terminal at the wall with multiple screens, a bed walled off by high book shelves and simple kitchen in the small alcove. There were several training machines, heavy weights and a pinching bag standing along the large window that replaced one of the walls. But all of it was familiar, what did not make sense was the way the table at the door was shifted. The way some datapads were on the floor. The way the screens were showing static instead of the smooth flow of numbers.

Aria looked down at the floor slightly intrigued by what the datapads were doing there, then she saw a discarded shirt further away towards the kitchen. She grinned. Liselle was having some fun! A dancer, perhaps? Or, maybe, two? She was taking after her mother after all! It wouldn't be bad to surprise the rascal, now would it? Aria could always find a way to find amusement at the expense of her daughter's embarrassment. She stalked very quietly towards the kitchen finding more articles of discarded clothing.

And then it happened. Aria felt the sharp jolt of fear and bubbling up terror that flowed from Thea over the bond. There was a dark blue stain on the floor. Her eyes darted further, movements became swifter. There was another larger stain behind the bar, it looked more purple because of how large it was. Blood. Asari blood. A lot of it. Aria ran to the stain scanning the floor for clues not bothering width being discrete anymore. There was nothing here only more blood stains on the furniture and torn, ripped clothes. She spun around looking for something, any clue. Several droplets were visible at the high book shelves that obscured her view of the bed. Aria swiftly walked towards it, but her steps became slower and slower the closer she got. Turning the corner of the book shelf she froze, the view that opened up to her was truly terrifying. A vision from the most dreadful nightmares. The fearless, unshakable pirate Queen shuddered violently.

"_Oh, Goddess, no... No, why her..."_

"_Thea... You sure you want to continue?"_

"_I need to see. I have to."_

Aria moved closer on wooden legs. The white sheets on the bed were smeared with blue and purple, the cushions were drenched, their color completely changed to the disgusting maroon and lavender. The floor at the foot of the bed was covered with foot prints in the pools of dried up blood. Most horrible of all was the sight of the broken body on the bed. The slim build, but toned figure lay on its back legs spread wide. She had dark blue skin and shared a lot of likeness with her mother. The same willful forehead and strong chin, the same proud line of thin lips. She had the same intense big blue eyes, eyes that were looking up, glazed, empty, devoid of any signs of life. The striking difference was that this asari had chosen to get _her fathers_ white facial tattoos, the white streaks were blemished by purple smears and drops now.

She was stripped and left there laying on the bed. Her weak hands were still grasping at the handle of the scissors sticking out of her abdomen. The other pair of scissors was carelessly left on the pillow next to her head. It was used to slit her throat leaving the weakened, paralyzed victim to bleed to death in her own bed.

The pirate Queen slowly crawled up on the bed uncaring that she was covering her leather outfit with blue and purple. Her hand reached out closing those haunting, expressionless eyes – it was like they could rip her chest apart by staying opened. She took the lifeless form and held it to her chest, her hands were trembling. The fearless, ruthless asari was in a trance. She sat there cradling her child for hours. When Gorn and Jarral found her she would not let go. Clutching at the body and rocking back and forth she closed her eyes and ordered the henchmen out. Aria did not cry, did not scream. A part of her world fell down, crashed and burned. Even revenge would only make it better for a while.

Many hours later after Aria had placed the daughter she lost in a clean sheet a thought had blazed its way through the haze clouding her mind ripping it to shreds, snapping her out of her catatonic state. The asari stumbled. There was a charging invisible krogan that collided with her stomach. _She had to tell Tevos._ Aria was staring at the covered body at her feet and panic was exploding in her head, beating with the blood in her temples. It was real, not some kind of nightmare from consuming too much ryncol. Her vision swam all of a sudden. The scene blurred and went to black.

"_Thea, I can't do this anymore. There is no way I'm going to relive it again." _

"_I know, I'm sorry. I had to see it, you understand, don't you?"_

"_No, I don't. It's enough that I had to witness that nightmare. You did not have to live with it as well." _

They were coiled up in the wide chair holding tightly to one another. Tevos was sitting on her lap hiding her face in the nook of Aria's neck. She could feel it through the meld, how the tears rolled down her cheeks without an end in sight. Her neck was wet, her shoulder was too. Aria lifted up her hand and felt the tears on her own face. Thea shuddered on her lap and the purple skinned asari instinctively tightened her hold on the light form. Tevos' voice inside the meld was uneven, broken with hurt and loss.

"_I had to. I have to know what happened to our baby. I'm her father. I should have done something."_

"_Like what? Forbade her to see me? Would not let her become a commando? Liselle was three hundred and sixty years old. She could decide for herself. Our part in her life had ended a long time ago." _

"_I don't believe you. You would have done just about anything to protect her." _

"_Of course, I would have! But I stopped telling her what to do after I left the first time. She was capable of taking care of herself, our Liselle. That bastard was better, though."_

"_Don't call her that!" _sudden flash of anger rippled through their connection like literal firestorm. "_That awful cover name! All of it so that no one would know who she really was. How did that work out?"_

"_In the end no one found out she was Linara Tevos, the mysterious secret daughter of the asari Councilor."_

"_Please, don't joke around with this... I can't take it right now." _

Sharp pain reverberated between them. Dark, sinking, all-consuming feeling was coming from Tevos. It was so strong Aria almost lost it herself, but she drew on her strength sharing it with the other asari. She was not about to make another mistake, slip up again.

"_Thea, if we don't joke about it all we can do is lay down, crawl under some rock and hope to die from misery. I was about to do that back on Omega for some time. Still, I have to go on, even though it was my fault she died. I could not say no to her."_

"_Hypocrite. You are going against your own logic. Didn't you say that she was old enough to decide?"_

"_Yes, but I could have turned her down. Instead I have hired her, gave her a place, assignments, resources. She was killed because that fucker found out she was Liselle T'Loak, not Linara Tevos. It's my fault, only I should have carried it with me." _

"_Don't. It is done now. We will carry this pain together. Just like we agreed to have her. There is no escape for the both of us." _

They had sat in the dark and silence for hours that seemed more like millennia. Holding each other dwelling in their tragedy. There was no way back. Aria opened her eyes letting go of the memory and found herself still swirling the Serrice Ice brandy in her glass. The regal asari let out a breath through her teeth and downed all of it in one shot. What had it been? Two years since then? They haven't seen each other much this whole time. Aria was content and safe in her life of exerting power and enjoying the debauchery of Omega. That was enough to drown down the screaming pain of loss. Tevos had buried her head in work being the perfect diplomat, the consummate Councilor. They could not completely cut ties. Not that they truly wanted to. Their constant, undying connection has survived for more than five hundred years. They would split, they would run in opposite directions, change their lives in a million different ways, but they always found a way to intersect. They were drawn to each other. From the very first moment they met the attraction was too overwhelming not to give in.

Aria chuckled. The romance for the ages, yeah, right! It all started because one very promiscuous commando put her lustful eyes on one alluring student working on her third dissertation. It did not take long to close the deal as both parties were supremely interested. After one fantastic night of mind-blowing sex they parted ways. The commando went off world to pursue another mercenary contract and the student returned to her studies. One-night stand, nothing more, that's what they thought. The stupid young lovebirds could not have been more wrong.

The next time they lay eyes on each other – almost twenty years later – the passion burned like a thousand suns. One-night stand turned into two, two turned into five, five turned into twenty. They could not get enough of each other. It was like they were both possessed. Passion drove them to stay together longer than either planned or wanted to. Their lives had fell of the beaten path, the oiled conveyer belts were upturned and smashed to bits. One especially wild night of uninterrupted, inventive sex the joining they shared grew into something more, something neither of them expected. The infatuation was one thing: lust and desire to explore were characteristic of all members of their species, the legends of asari promiscuity were exaggerated, but still founded in fact. It did not even mattered that they were both asari as both did not put much credence in their society's views on the pureblood's "problem". All of that was not in the way of having a pleasurable time together, more that pleasurable, ecstatic. But what they discovered was absolutely not per-planned and should not have happened.

The blinding, searing flash made two quivering bodies arch, their muscles convulsed, the wide opened mouths were releasing soundless screams. Sharp pleasure rippled along the tensed bond making them seize whatever was close by, the last wave rolled over their bodies, the muscles clenched once more... and they fell onto the bed breathless, sweaty and exhausted. Thea shifted her head letting it lay flat with one cheek on the broad expanse of muscled purple back. She sighed completely relaxed and content. There was something very pleasurable seeping over the bond they were still sharing. Their minds were empty of any thoughts, completely cleaned out by the multitude of strong shared orgasms. The feeling intensified. It bloomed in the space where their minds intersected, winding the thoughts and emotions together in this wonderful hot center that was sending its warm tendrils all over their shared mindscape. They could feel both of their hearts beating faster in unison, the breath in their chests was almost cut off by this euphoric wave of pure bliss. And then the returning rational parts of their brains found a name for that incredible growing ball of hot joy.

"_Well, that's not at all what I wanted..." _the voice sounded rough, annoyed, but Tevos could feel something hidden behind the bravado.

"_Liar. You are glad as much as I am that it happened."_

"_We can't. This is just physical. Good company, is all." _

"_Keep telling that to yourself. There is no hiding in the joining."_

"_We're too different. There is no way we can make this work. It had been fun, but..."_

"_Shut up. I'm not giving this up."_

"_C'mon, Thea. What will your family think of you? And your chances to climb higher on the e-democratic stage? I know what I want."_

"_Right, MY family. 'Cause that is not an issue for you? You ran away from home!"_

"_Uh-huh. Witch means that I don't give a shit. My mother is a bitch. She and the other matriarchs can kiss my ass. I am not gonna stay here. I'm going to find my own place, a piece of the universe that belongs to me. And I don't care what I have to do to get it." _

"_Wow, that sounded serious." _

"_Just putting the cards of the table, Thea. You don't want to involve yourself in my life." _

"_Let's put your resoluteness to the test, shall we?" _the ironic flickers of light danced at the ends of her thoughts. "_We are still joined. I'm going to tell you something and we see how you feel about it." _there was a small pause._ "I love you, Aleena."_

The glowing ball of hot gentle warmth exploded into a tsunami of stronger, more powerful warmth that covered them both. She could say whatever she wanted, but there could not be any secrets in a meld as deep as this. Tevos could feel the denial, the unwillingness of the other asari to admit to it, but there was also joy, immense relief that what had happen was what she secretly hoped it would be.

"_Stop it, Thea! I can't! I will not stay because of you and I will not ask you to follow me. It's impossible. We were doomed from the beginning. Just stop. Let's agree that it was simple fun and nothing more." _

"_I will not run away from this, from us. No matter what you say, I'm not going to. Yes, we have different futures in mind and yes, we're gonna go our separate ways soon, so what?" _

Her confusion was like distortions of the clear surface of a lake – rippling over their steady warm connection. The joining was supposed to dissipate by now, yet it was stronger than ever.

"_I don't get it. What are you saying?"_

"_I'm saying that you don't have to choose. I will wait for you. Go, build your special place, find somewhere to belong as you have dreamed. And come back to me from time to time."_

"_Is that a proposition?" _

"_After a fashion. I don't have any illusions about what you are going to do. Become a criminal, mercenary captain, leader of a gang? I don't care. I know your appetite, I know you are going to chase after any alluring piece of ass you will find. And I still don't care. What I care about is this feeling that is consuming my whole being. I will NOT give it up."_

"_I... I don't know what to say." _

"_You don't have to. I can feel what you feel. Even if you can't or won't say it." _

"_Aw, fuck it! I love you, too. More than you know, more than I knew before this." _

"_Thank you for saying it, Aleena."_

As Tevos predicted they did go their separate ways. One – descended deeper into the world of politics, the other – to the stars away from her homeworld. But they found ways to meet. Every other year they would spend several months together. Sometimes it had been two years, sometimes it had been eight or fifteen or twenty, but they always kept in touch and managed to find time for the secret meet ups no one knew anything about. Sneaking away from their friends, comrades and surroundings, going somewhere far away from both of their worlds or hiding in plain sight, tricking whoever was watching. Their love was maddening, electric. It would consume them both every time they felt each others touch, saw the warm light reflected in the others eyes. No wonder that one of those day they slipped up.

Two asari were locked in a room on one of many hotels on Nevos' southern continent. The have left the room three times in total since arriving. Most of that time had been spend in bed or on the sofa, in the jacuzzi or the shower. They have had sex on every possible surface at least twice over. Sometimes slowly and leisurely enjoying the moment trying to relearn every inch of each others bodies; sometimes fast and greedily trying to make up for the time apart. The purple skinned asari woke up with a sudden jerk of her head. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Her head was swimming, the misty haze was clouding her memories of the previous night. She tried to lift her body on her elbows, but her head became dizzy again and he fell back on the pillows.

There was a muffled groan. A blue hand lighter and slimmer than hers crawled from between the white sheets and gently slid across her abdomen. A crest emerged from under the pillow next to her and snuggled to her shoulder. The purple skinned asari felt a kiss pressed to her upper arm. It was nice, but the feeling of something dreadful looming overhead had not left her.

"Go back to sleep, it's too early." murmured Thea under her breath. "We had a magical night, you need the rest."

And then is all came back. Tevos – beautiful, panting, coiling on her hand, her skin covered in tiny droplets of sweat. The rush of desire covering her up completely, her teeth on that irresistible pulse point on the blue neck. The mess of tangled legs and arms. The growing need as they deepened the meld more and more. Their lust and need mixing and intertwining together. And the insistent, powerful desire to have her. It was maddening. The overwhelming need was surging from the very core of the commando's whole being. She needed to have Thea, to own her, to take her into herself, keep her near, forever. The body on top of her shuddered, reclined. Tevos could feel the possessive wave coming from her lover and she did not move away. On the contrary, she threw herself into the meld giving more and more of her willingly, gladly. They came undone together both their minds and bodies snaked around each other as tightly, as deeply as possible and beyond. The universe fell away, there was nothing except them and their love. After the last contractions subsided they gave themselves over to the blissful release of sleep too exhausted both mentally and physically to even change their position.

It was bad. Worse than bad. What in the name... What the fuck have they done?!

"Thea, wake up." pushed out the purple lips with a great deal of effort.

"Huh? What is it?" asked the asari raising up on her elbows and rubbing her eyes.

"Don't you fucking remember?" she could feel the cold sweat forming on her forehead.

Tevos finally shook her sleepiness and sat up on the bed. She looked her lover up and down. The sheer terror in her eyes was something entirely new. Aleena was never scared. Of anything. Ever. The blue skinned asari have seen the things her lover had done through the meld. Some had almost made her throw up. Multiple times. There must have been something truly bad that had happened to put her in such a state.

"What are you talking about? Did something happen?"

"Yeah, _something_ happened alright." she laughed nervously witch was so very uncharacteristic of the confident, supremely sure of herself commando. "Do you remember last night or don't you?"

"Most of it." drawled Thea, the dreamy expression followed by a slow smile appeared on her face against her will. "I suppose we passed out after the last one. It must have been one mind-blowing orgasm."

"Fuuuuck me..." slowly hissed the commando gripping her crest with both hands.

"Did that already." Thea could not stop herself from jumping on such a good opportunity, but she immediately deflated at the incredulous wide-eyed look the other asari gave her. "What's going on, love?"

"We fucking did it! I fucking did it. Athame's tits, what the fuck are we going to do?!"

"With what?" asked Thea completely taken aback.

"Last night. I took from you. And you let me." she was speaking in short sentences, breathing slowly trying to relax. Her commando training was not all biotics and cleaning the weapons after all. "Do you remember the feeling like something snapped just before we had that supernova of an orgasm? The one that made us pass out? What do you think _that_ was?"

"You don't mean..." drawled Tevos raising her hands to her mouth.

"Yeah. I slipped up. Congrats, you are going to be a dad. Or not. Fucking shit."

They sat in silence looking at each other. Both pairs of eyes – blue and green – were wide, shocked, complex emotions and wild thoughts were shooting across them like high speed racing skycars. Minutes passed by at miniscule speed refusing to let them have a break. Then Tevos slowly let her hands fall on her lap. There was a tiny smile growing on her lips. It widened, grew faster and the next minute she was beaming. The other asari coughed having some trouble adjusting to the sight. She said hesitantly looking at her hands:

"So you want to have it? The child?"

"Yes." whispered Thea. Then a shadow covered her face, all the joy was squeezed out of her features. "But I can't. The Councilor suddenly returning from vacation with a pregnant lover nobody heard about? It will be over. The matriarchs will find a way to replace me in a heartbeat. I don't have the political power or enough leverage to sway them."

The commando looked up into Tevos' face full of wishful longing and obscured by pain of having to refuse something she really wanted without even knowing about it.

"Well, I wanted to form a team of mercs, maybe start my own mercenary outfit. Giving birth would put a sizable dent on those plans."

"Yeah, I know..." those words from Thea's lips were filled with such... Ah, she would not be able to describe it at all! "I guess, we have to give up on it. It's not like we can start a family."

"Why not?" hot boiling anger was raising up in her chest. She could not find the reason, why had Tevos' words made her so furious all of a sudden?

"Because. I have stopped reaching for the unattainable after spending the last eighty six years being the asari Councilor. We have to accept the universe as it is. Silly things like the myths about the Reapers and Jona's Quest for Love are best left for the vids. Fleet and Flotilla, the new, popular one. Let's not discuss that."

"What about all the declarations of love you gave me on Armali?"

"The first time we admitted to being in love with each other? That was long ago. I was naive and lovestruck. I still stand by what I said back then. I don't want to let this go, but it's all we will ever be, Aleena, don't you see? The crazy all-consuming love, but no future, no possibility of having something more. We talk every two or three months, we meet every five years or so. Feel intoxicated by each others presence, fall into bed, spend some blissful months together and split up again. That is all we are."

"Is there someone else?" she did not know why she asked that question, it was still like finding a flame in the dark. While blindfolded. The source of her anger eluded the purple skinned asari as if on purpose.

"Of course, there is someone else!" exclaimed Tevos laughing lightly. The irony could be clearly heard in her voice, yet it hitched just a bit before she continued. "How many random strangers have you fucked over the years? Well, I did not waste my time either. And I still don't care. I love you. No matter how much hardship that might bring."

There! This was the source! The bitterness masked in her voice. The tiny break in so polished and perfect annunciations of that silvery voice. The message hidden behind the tone and meaning between the lines, that's what had made her so furious! But why? Was it not what she wanted? To be free, find a place, something of her own? Build an impenetrable fortress, an enterprise worthy of her talents? Yes, that was her goal, the dream she wanted and would not rest until it was a reality. However, for some time now that goal was not her only one...

"I'm going to take a bath. You should probably make an appointment with a doctor." Thea rose from her spot on the bed and strode to the bathroom.

The thoughtful asari on the bed regarded her leaving form with narrowed eyes. She did not know exactly when it has changed, her plan, her reason for training and why she had been going through so many contracts. Saving up a small fortune to start something bigger. Yet the pan had been indeed changed. It happened gradually over the years, but somehow it included one more asari aside from her now. The truth was that she did not want to give up on this either. She wanted to have Thea. To keep her. Not only that, she wanted to make the other asari happy. That pulsing need somewhere deep in her core driving, pushing her to make Thea smile, to hear her laugh, to make her quiver with pleasure, to see her snuggle up to her shoulder, exhausted, satisfied. That special glow in her eyes that made everything else fade away.

It was dangerous to give herself to someone else like that. To open up, offer trust so freely. No one else would dare to try. The merciless commando did not allow any of her conquests to get closer. Not an inch of real, honest intimacy when looks and gestured are not part of a seduction. Letting someone from her world in was a weakness, a weakness she did not have. But Tevos was different. Not one of her conquests, not anymore. Not belonging to the ruthless world of criminals, bounties and backstabbing. The blue skinned asari was more, much more. The connection between them survived for so long. She knew her, better than anyone. There was no danger to let her in. And Thea was right back then. That glowing airy feeling inside was well worth it. No wealth, no power, no amount of other pleasures could even compare. The purple lips slowly, very slowly spread into a smile. There was another plan forming in her head, a much harder, long-lasting gambit. The risk was going to be immense, but the reward... Typical, chuckled the asari on her own in the empty room. She would not be herself if she would not want to have it all. And, all be damned, she _will_ have it all!

With a resolute smile on her lips she marched to the bathroom's door. Tevos was sitting in the immense oval bath with her back to the door. It was filled up with warm water and covered with bubble foam. She surely had heard her enter, but did not turn her head. The commando grinned and strode to the other end of the bath easily stepping over the edge and sitting down.

"What are you doing? Aren't you supposed to go visit the doctor as soon as possible? I think, I would rather take a bath alone today."

"Not after you hear what I have to say." she sniggered stretching her legs in the warm water.

"Aleena, please... I don't want to argue right now. It's hard enough as it is."

"How many times have I told you to stop calling me by that name? It's Aria. Aria T'Loak."

"Do you hate your family that much? Maybe you have the right to erase everything that connected you to them, but why do I have to change the way I call you? Especially when we are alone. It's stupid and unnecessary."

"I want you to practice. Get used to my new name. You'll need it."

Tevos sighed heavily. "And why is that?" She was getting irritable.

Aria grabbed a loofah and put some balsam on it. She massaged it against her palm until the loofah was covered with the light foam. She ran the loofah over her sore shoulders humming her pleasure and closing her eyes. Then the purple skinned asari changed hands and continued nonchalantly while massaging her other shoulder:

"That's because I don't want our daughter calling me by my old unpleasant name."

The dead silence that followed was only interrupted by Aria's splashing and low humming. After a while the asari opened one of her eyes and looked at her lover. Well, _that_ was not what she expected! Aria opened both of her eyes and stared at Thea in confusion and concern.

Tevos was silently crying with her hands clasped over her mouth. Tears rolled down her cheeks, gathered at the point of her chin. Falling down to the water in the bath they made a tiny splashing noise. Aria let go of the loofah and tried to shift closer raising her arms, but she was stopped by a shake of Tevos' head. She finally took her hands away from her mouth and spoke. Her normally so perfectly leveled voice broke, it was shaking slightly from the way strong emotions were clenching at her throat.

"Why would you do this to me? Is this a cruel joke?"

"I'm not doing anything to you. I have decided to keep the child. Raise her as our daughter. If you want. And if you don't I'm still going to do it, but I would love to have you in her life."

Thea shook her head again as if trying to chase away the daydream. She did not believe her, could not believe her. With tears still rolling down her face the Councilor bit on her fingers and stared at the asari opposite with wild, terrified eyes. She was afraid to ask and afraid not to. Aria could plainly see through the mirror of her beautiful green eyes just how much she wanted this. The child, their daughter. Tangible proof of love and devotion, a promise to the future. Finally she hiccuped and let out in one breaking breath:

"Dammit, why? Aria, why?"

"Good job." the asari smiled appreciatively. "Because I want to. I think, I had this plan for a long time. Maybe just subconsciously, or at the very back of my mind. I don't want to loose you. I wanted to take from you. I can so clearly remember that moment now. It was the most breathtaking, the most astonishing feeling. Like I finally got to keep a piece of you, not just the memories or traces from the melt, but a physical, tangible essence of your being. I'm not going to throw it away."

"How... How are we going to...? It is not possible!"

"I will figure out a way. Probably move to the Citadel, somewhere on the Wards. If Councilor Lirosh can have more than one Mistress and even keep some of them a secret from most interested parties, you of all people can lead the whole Citadel by the nose. I have enough money saved up, we won't be needing anything. I'm sure there is a way."

"I don't..." there was this incredulous, bewildered expression on her face, the white facial markings on her forehead were stretched thin – so high were the muscles of her brows. Aria could not keep her features straight, she snorted and laughed softly. "You really, truly want to keep it? The baby. Raise her as our daughter. I can't wrap my mind around it. You are either insane or..."

"Don't you know me, Thea? I want to have it all. I want the home I never really had, a place to truly belong. I want you. And I want our daughter. So since the third just happened, the second," she glanced predatory at the slim form opposite."I already have, then the first can wait for a while."

"No!" exclaimed Tevos suddenly, the tears were forgotten, she straightened up and leaned forwards – determined frown on her face. "I can not let you throw away your dream! Not now, not for any reason. I told you it did not matter to me..."

"But it does matter to me." interrupted Aria. "I am not giving up on it, I'm only postponing the final stage. What some fifty years are for us? I will give birth to her, give her the best mother I can be while she needs me. And after she gets older I will leave her with you."

"With me...?" parroted Tevos looking apprehensive.

"You can watch over her. Help her as she finishes her education. Thea, don't you see how perfectly it all lines up? I can not give her that guidance, but you can. Without me in the picture you could probably let the matriarchs know. She will get the best of both worlds. When she gets older she can choose what she wants to do with her life. And one of us can help her with it."

"Just let her fly on her own? Fifty? So early? What about..." apparently Tevos already accepted the fact that it was going to happen deep down in her heart and her careful, methodical mind was only now catching up. She wore that special expression. The one that one had when finally realizing something incredible just happened. It slowly dawned on her making that serious, slightly concerned in the moment face bloom with an open, breathtakingly honest smile. The worry in her voice was genuine, without any trace of hesitation, the role had fitted like a glove.

It did indeed felt natural. As natural for someone like Aria as, well, making decisions on the hunt or placing her teeth on that sweet nook below Tevos' jawline. However, what the blue asari was saying was not to her liking. A deep frown appeared on the purple face.

"I will not repeat after _my_ mother." Aria said slowly trying to keep her cool. "My daughter will have the freedom to choose her own future as she sees fit."

"I did not meant it like that. I don't see the harm in showing her all the options or will she have to struggle to find herself like you did?"

That one hit the mark. Aria frown lessened and she lowed her gaze. There was a minute's pause. "Thea. Are you in or...?"

"I am." nodded the asari. She wiped her cheeks. There was a new, oddly airy aura about her. And _that_ smile still! It made Aria's chest tighten and the lower reaches of her stomach burn needfully. The rush of desire was sharp, sudden and completely welcomed. She rose from her spot in the bath and leaned forward until her purple skinned body was half-submerged between Tevos' legs. She had to crawl a bit further to place a kiss on that wonderful neckline of hers. Aria felt the warm gentle hands wrapping themselves around her neck, pulling at the expanse of her spine. She groaned and sucked deeply on the delicious flesh. A low wanting moan was her reward, Thea's breathing quickened, but somehow she did not want to give in to the predator about to pounce yet.

"No, Ale... Aria, wait."

"Wait? For what? I can feel your skin shivering, you know."

"No, we should talk about this! There are so many things we have to plan out!"

The blue palms got a hold of Aria's jawline pulling the asari up. With a unsatisfied grunt she followed the motion stopping nose to nose with her lover. The green eyes were searching for the blue ones. Thea was holding her face in her hands brushing the thumbs over her cheek bones. There was a distracted, ungathered expression on her features, myriad of thoughts flew past reflecting in those eyes, possibilities, precautions, things to do and to take care of. Tevos would not have been herself if she was not planing a whole future for their daughter already. Her mouth opened slightly in surprise at one of the thoughts that occurred to her. She looked at Aria with a quizzically raised brow muscle.

"What are you going to do with yourself? I mean, after she gets a bit older."

"I'm going to learn how to dance." smiled Aria wolfishly. Thea looked at her for a moment, then started to laugh. "Yes, you laugh. I have always wanted to do that. Might be useful in the future. Now, I suggest you stop overworking that brain of yours, the brilliant Councilor is supposed to be on her vacation. And I know just the right way to help you relax and celebrate our decision."

Her purple arm slid backwards and submerged below the surface. The blue skinned asari flinched, her laughter stopped abruptly, lips parted letting out a hiss of swift breath. And then she arched and moaned leaving her busy thinking behind. Aria darted forward capturing her mouth and letting herself be intoxicated by the smell and feel of the other asari, her lips and tongue, her hot, clenching center.

They had not left the bathroom until the water became cold and the bubbly foam whizzed out.

Aria departed when Linara turned sixty one. Going through some different options she chose Omega. That place was perfect for what she wanted to do. Fulfill her dream. Build a place of freedom, challenges and honest struggle to the top. Make it her own. It took her a hundred years to rise up the ranks, find out everything there was to know about the station, put her people in all the key places. After she took control of it no one was left to challenge her rule. Aria finally fulfilled her dream. She had found a place to belong, she had made the station her own, remade it in her image, kept in in check with an iron fist. She got want she had always wanted. Her uninterrupted rule lasted for over two hundred years... until Cerberus took Omega from her.

All that time she did not forget to visit, see her daughter and find a way to spend at least some time with Tevos, although it was becoming more and more difficult. Sneaking into her quarters an unknown asari commando was one thing, trying to arrange a secret meeting with the Citadel Councilor as the famous Aria T'Loak, the Queen of Omega, was something completely different. Yet somehow they made it work. No jealousy, no neediness or hurt feelings at the lack of attention. They both had other sexual partners on the side. The pirate Queen was widely known for her promiscuity. It did not matter. They both knew and felt – they belonged together. There could not be any secrets between them in the meld.

The matriarchs would have flipped out if they knew that their precious asari Councilor was sharing not only her bed, but also her mind where all their dirty secrets were hidden with the dangerous, unruly leader of the lawless Terminus Systems. Of course, Aria did not use any of the things she found out from melding with Tevos, not unless the same information found its way to her through other sources. It would have been unprecedentedly stupid of her to undermine Tevos like that. After all, she never stopped loving her, wanting her. Aria did not need the secrets of the Asari Republics, she did not leave that life just to be swayed to dip into the hypocrisy again. There were better opportunities more deserving of her attention.

Everything was just the way she wanted. The powerful, prideful asari had thought she could have it all and keep it. Turns out, she was sorely mistaken. First, Liselle, then in a way Thea, even Omega – all was taken away from her. Aria would not rest until she had it back. And this time she would not let it slip through her fingers.

"_My pleasure." _

Her eyes fell on the empty glass still securely trapped in her gloved hand. How long had she been sitting here in the clutches of memories? It did not really matter. Aria had to do something. There was a thought, a pathetically depressing thought, pessimistic, unfit of the fearless Queen. Yet she could not help but go back to it no matter what.

The Reapers. Dreadful, nightmarish beings only purpose of witch was total destruction. The looming, real threat that could sweep through the galaxy not leaving anything behind, but death.

Shepard was on the case like the proper leader of the girlscouts she was. The stubborn, sometimes annoying redhead was their best chance at defeating the Reapers. Aria was prepared to give the Commander all the resources she could, help in any way she can. She was fond of the galaxy, even if it had awful places like this disgusting bar. But...

Shepard was just one human. One human trying to pull together pieces that did not want to, quite the opposite – the necessary components, players and resources, tried to, in opposition to all common sense, run in all directions, hide or spend their last hours in the old grudges trying to bite each other in the throat just before being blown to bits by the Reaper fleet. Useless people. Because of the squabbles and stubbornness of boneheaded politicians they might as well loose. And if there was even the possibility that Aria was living out her last weeks in this dump, away from her rightful place, surrounded by loyal henchmen, but not the ones she truly wanted to be with... If this was all that awaited her before the end, there was something she had to do.

The gloved hands withdrew the orange interface, ran over the holographic keys. It took two seconds to find the familiar name, put in seared into the brain long string of symbols, numbers and dots. The empty messaging screen opened up. Aria typed swiftly just one sentence. Almost hit "send", but her hand stopped. She stared at the screen on her Omni-tool. The message was there, the cursor was blinking in warm orange. It was somehow wrong.

_ I need to see you. _

Aria hesitated, then her fingers were on the keyboard again. She revised the line and looked at it inquisitively.

_ I'd like to see you._

She shook her head and corrected the sentence again. This had to work. Not alienate her, not piss her off, just let her know of Aria's intentions.

_ I want to see you. _

The purple fingers hovered over the keys. She swallowed and pushed "send." With a heavy sigh Aria reclined back on her couch letting the interface disappear. She let her head fall on the top of the back of the couch. Gripping the glass at the edges she pressed the cool bottom of it to her forehead. It was reckless to show a sign of weakness like that. The guards should not see her like this. Ruining her reputation right now, when everything was hanging in the balance, it would be disastrous. And yet because of the same reason Aria could not bring herself to care. This station might be harvested or blown out of the nebula tomorrow for all she knew. Omega may follow suit. None of them had any guarantees anymore.

In that rare, unprecedented really, moment of acceptance Aria felt like some force just emptied a bucket full of icy water on her. The crystal, complete clarity flowed over her with the imaginary water. If she needed all that strength, all that cunning and survivability to get back what was stolen from her, to get her revenge, but only to loose it all again to the Reapers, what was the point? The mad scrambling for last shreds of what was left of their civilization? Of course, if Aria got Omega back she could give Shepard more ships, more mercs and her hoard of eezo. That would help. Still, that was all for the cause, the necessary steps to try to prevent her own destruction along with the whole lot. Struggling to keep on the surface with no land in sight would lead nowhere. They will either somehow get to the other side of the storm, or the storm will devour them whole.

The Omni-tool buzzed loudly snapping her out from the reflective trance. The quick fingers reactivated the display, ran over the keyboard unlocking the client. That was fast. Too fast. It could mean something very bad or... No, probably still bad.

The orange screen held two messages. One that Aria typed up ten minutes ago. And her answer.

_ I want to see you. _

_Penitent Complex, 18th level, room 24. In two hours. _

Aria inhaled a huge breath through her teeth. Before she could release the air she trapped in her chest another short message appeared on the screen. Just four words.

_I will be waiting. _

Her heart did a somersault. The asari was not sure that was healthy or even physically possible. She felt a slight tingling at her temples, then she remembered to breath out. She will be waiting. Aria felt her lips hesitantly, slowly moving to form a weak shadow of a smile. Whatever was going to happen, whatever the result of this war would be, tonight she could not think about it. Not anymore. If they all had only as much time as to run around without direction on a fool's errand, there had to be a reason. If all that they have endured, if all _she_ hand endured was going to culminate in one colossal galactic massacre, Aria will not have any of it. Instead of scrambling, wasting her time on the squabbles of others, there was someone she had to see. It was time to get rid of that chasm, the misery and regret. If they all were destined to die in here and now, Aria could not leave without fixing the only true bond she had, the only connection that lasted through the lifetimes.

That moment of perfect clarity gave her the solution, the only right thing she was not in a position to suggest before. The Queen could not even think about that possibility since it was plainly _not_ possible. Not they way their lives had played out. However, now it was pointless to care about all the things that stood in the way. They could die at any moment. It was bewildering how a threat of imminent death, or rather the threat of imminent galactic doomsday, had made everything so clear cut and simple.

She had two hours. Two hours before the meeting. There was something she needed to get before that time.

**. . .**

Penitent Complex was an anonymous hotel building on Zakera Ward. Aria let her henchmen go, left Purgatory and arrived at the door of room number 24 exactly at the appointed time. She visited an unobtrusive, discrete asari-owned shop on her way. The small package was laying in her pocket, but now that she finally was here, it was burning a hole in her leg.

She should not feel anxious, even frightened by the meeting. Goddess knows, Aria had been through the wringer on so many occasions she lost count of how many times she had been in danger, at the risk of loosing her life. That was easy, familiar. Every move in a fight, on the battlefield was learned and fused into her muscle memory. Facing _her _again, after all that's happened, now that would be a challenge of a different sort.

Taking a breath she pressed the communication panel. The lock on the door whizzed and clicked. The red gleam of the holo indicator changed its color to green and the door hissed open. Aria hummed in disapproval. Tevos had added her hand-print to the lock database. It will be deleted after 24 hours, still it was dangerous to use those kinds of personal identification keys on the Citadel. Who knows, what kinds of people might be snooping around.

However, before she could continue that line of though she saw the room and the person standing with her back to the door observing the thick gas clouds of the Serpent Nebula coiling above the arm of the opposing Ward through the window. The window itself was tinted, the dark transparent shade made it look like it was night on the otherwise always brightly lit Citadel. The room was simple, but furnished with a certain amount of class. The bed frame, tables, book shelves and nightstands were all made of black wood. White walls were covered with pictures and paintings in black frames depicting the Citadel cityscapes and the views of the Serpent Nebula. White sheets were covering the bed with a creamy blanket – the same color as the rug on the floor – placed on top. Several doors lead out of the rooms, presumably to the kitchen, bathrooms and closets.

Aria's deep blue eyes darted to the figure at the window, she made few cautions steps observing it with intense interest. Tevos had discarded her official red and white Councilor's attire. Instead she was wearing a dark onyx-blue dress with no back. It was supported by the thin strap around her neck almost indiscernible against the window. The dress hung freely to her ankles wrapping slightly tighter along her hips, it had two slits on the sides starting just below her mid-thigh and running all the way down to the hem. The pirate Queen could almost see the gleam of blue slender leg peeking out from the small space between two dark fields of the skirt. Tevos was standing with a slight angle to her posture so Aria was able to make out her profile framed by the dust clouds outside the window. She was standing with one hand on her chin and the other supporting her elbow laying over her mid-section. The Councilor was wearing gloves to finish up her outfit. Black leather gloves that reached up past her elbows to the upper arms making it seem like they were part of the dress at the cut off line.

The blue skinned asari did not respond immediately, even though she most certainly knew that Aria was there. That was fine as it gave the former commando time to take in the sight in front of her. The breathtaking sight. She would never get tired of seeing her. That straight posture, the delicate round shoulders, the captivating line of her heck and that tilt to it, the very one that made Tevos' reflective profile seem out of this world when surrounded by soft light like it was right now. Why would Thea dress like that? Aria did not want to get her hopes up, but this incredible dress would not be worn to a fight or to _just_ have a talk.

Finally Tevos turned around and shifted her wight to one hip placing both her arms below her chest where they promptly disappeared fusing into one with the similarly colored dress. There was a smile on her face, subtle and teasing it still held a grain of sadness at the corners of her lips.

"Aria. What brings you to me at this gloomy time? That message seemed so urgent and intense." she annunciated every word, the overtones and long pauses of that silvery voice had always managed to make Aria loose her concentration, send shivers up her spine and drain some strength from her legs. This time was no different. Feeling trapped by her own decision to attempt this Aria took a few steps forward and tried to sound her usual confident self.

"I just had a thought since we all could die at any moment, I should take advantage of the opportunity. I'm on the Citadel, alone and with nothing to do," she stalked closer adopting one of her predatory looks. "and I know my old acquaintance is here, buried in her work, as usual. Maybe she would appreciate a distraction?"

"Perhaps." drawled Tevos lowering her gaze and throwing Aria a look through her lashes. "Is that mysterious person no more than an acquaintance?"

"Oh, I should have made it plainer. The person in question is something precious, valuable to me. A constant, unchanging temptation and quite a bit more. The advantage being that I intimately know every inch of her body. Do you suppose such knowledge might be useful?"

"That depends on what you have in mind for the night." Thea was still looking at her with that seductive glance obscured by her log eyelashes, the asari watched Aria prowl ever closer until they were standing mere inches from each other. "There are certain activities that knowledge could be used for."

Aria leaned towards her taking in the intoxicating scent. She did not raise her hands, her face was hovering at the side of Thea's crest not touching it, only sending shivers down the blue skin with her hot breath.

"I do have something in mind. This window might be the perfect spot to begin a simple game."

"What game?" breathed out the blue skinned asari taking a step back. Aria followed not changing the dizzying distance between them – barely away from the touch. One more step Then another. And another. One heart beat later Tevos had pressed her back to the cool surface of the glass. Aria lips whispered at her side no more that a hair away from her skin:

"The game where you are locked in a room with me. Where there is no escape, no relief, no reason for me to stop. The only hope is to give in. There is no one here to interfere with my plan for the night. I can do whatever I want to you. Better yet, you can ask me to do anything you want me to do to you. Anything. There's nothing besides us here. You and me. Me and you. Trapped."

"Just the two of us..." let out Thea, she was breathless, her hands were clutching at the surface of the glass.

"Only the two of us." echoed Aria putting a hand on the cold glass on one side of Tevos' crest and leaning in. They did not break eye contact while their lips were slowly, unbearably slowly traveling to meet.

_Just the two of us._

_Only the two of us._

The words repeated insistently at the back of their heads. Getting louder with each heartbeat.

_Only the two of us._

_Only the two of us._

The words were getting louder like a gong, rumbling and bellowing their torturous meaning.

_Only two. Not three._

And just like that the spell was broken. They were looking each other in the eyes and the memory that seemed to had been forgotten for a moment was raising to the surface. Pain, guilt, grief. Rush of emotions in two pairs of eyes, watching intensely, noticing every change.

Aria pushed off the window taking a step back. Then she turned around and groaned putting a hand on her forehead. She sighed letting out the air through clenched teeth.

"There is no way to avoid it, is there?" her lips formed into a bitter frown involuntarily. She did not look back.

"I... I don't..." Tevos did not leave her spot pressed tightly to the window glass, it somehow felt safer than to walk on her feet. Aria threw an indiscernible glance at her and continued fiercely.

"All I wanted was to have some time with you! Some time not poisoned by what happened! Is that too much to ask?!"

"Aria, please, there is nothing..."

"No! Is it wrong to want some relief? I do not want us to feel like this anymore. Every time we are together there is this bottomless pit of suffering right between us. Why can't we get back what we had?"

Thea detached herself from the window with apparent difficulty. She moved towards Aria carefully stretching out her hand yet retrieving it at the last moment. It hurt her to see the proud, unbending asari in so much pain and helplessness. The pirate Queen turned around, glanced at her frozen in mid-air hand, then at her screwed up with strong emotions face and shook her head. She took a seat at the foot of the bed putting her elbows on her knees letting her hands fall in between wide spread legs and slouching her back. There was another low groan trying to escape her chest. Aria looked defeated, but Tevos knew better. It was far worse than simple failure, what the purple skinned asari was fighting against in herself and loosing was regret. The next words out of her mouth only confirmed that.

"I wish I had never showed you what happened. I wish you never knew."

"Stop it, Aria. I had to and you know it." The Councilor frowned, she felt her eyes prickling and hands forming fists on their own. She did not come here to fight, to relieve the disagreement they had already.

"No, you did not! _I_ had let her enter my life, I knew the risks and still I let her! Our daughter's death is on me, that sick fuck killed her because he wanted to hurt _me_! It was my fault, not yours! I should have protected you from it, not let it consume you too! There was no need to put the weight on anyone else but me. I would give anything right now to wipe those images out of your mind."

"That's enough. I don't want to hear any more of this self-loathing. It does not become you, Aria. We have discussed it once before. You agreed, it was my choice."

"Good choice. Look at what it brought us. Maybe if I could say no to you, I could have said no to her. Maybe I should have... Done something differently. I could not even avenge her death properly."

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop!" the angry tears were burning her eyes, but Thea did not make a move to wipe them. She observed Aria with indignation. "Do you think you should be the only one in pain? I have loved her not any less than you did! Or do you think you're the only one worthy to be suffering? Is that it?!"

"Thea, listen..."

"No, you listen! I will not let you sit here and blame yourself for everything that happened! It was not your fault! All of the blame sits squarely on that bastard who killed our daughter! Stop this insistent martyrdom! Why are you so hell bend on keeping me out? Even now after we have shared all of it you won't let me share your pain, you want to carry it all by yourself! Why in the name of the Goddess do you regret letting me in so much?"

Aria bend her head lower and grasped at the sides of her crest with both of her hands, her fingers scratching at the folds, she was pressing her palms as tightly as possible as if trying not to hear what she was saying. Still, she answered unable to hold her desperate thoughts back. There was nothing to loose anymore after all.

"Because it is tearing us apart. Don't you see? We can't talk without crawling into the dark lonely hole of misery, we can't fuck without remembering how much we miss her and ending up bawling over her loss in each others arms. I do _not_ cry! I have put myself together after _that_ happened, I can keep my cool while walking around and giving orders, but the minute I'm with you, the second we get close again I'm right back _there_, two years ago! You know why? Because you are!"

"That's not true..." stumbled Thea – all the anger punched out of her immediately. The blood rushed away from her face making it a lighter shade of blue.

"It is so true! I should have shielded you from this. I will never forgive myself for letting you see that moment..."

There was so much deepest, darkest regret, shame and despair in her voice Tevos could not breathe for a moment, her heart was clenched as if a hand squeezed on it. The only thing she could ask came in a feeble whisper: "Why?"

"Because I don't want to end up hating her memory!" suddenly screamed Aria at the top of her lungs still shielding herself with her arms and bending even lower. "If her death costs me _you_, if it breaks _us_ up, I don't think I can ever think of her memory as more than a curse! I don't want to regret having the child in the first place! Agh..."

Her voice dwindled into a low growl. The silence was deafening and then Aria heard something that scared her. The pirate Queen could not remember the last time she was truly scared. No, she perfectly knew the moment, the place and time when she was terrified the last time, but she did not want to return to that moment again. What she heard now was still frightening, in fact so much so that she slowly let her arms fall on her knees again. She heard it again and flinched. A soft, muffled sob. The purple skinned asari gathered her strength and raised her head.

What she saw send a sharp pain that pierced right through her heart. Tevos was crying holding her hands over her mouth to stifle the sounds. The tears were rolling down her cheeks, leaving watery trails on her gloved fingers. The terrified green eyes were focused solely on her. That did it. Aria jumped to her feet and rushed to her lover pulling her into a tight embrace. Thea tried to wrestle free, but the strong arms held her securely wrapped and pressed to the leather clad chest. Aria could feel as Tevos' tensed muscles slowly, slowly relaxed, she let out a broken whimper putting her hands on Aria's chest and burrowing her face at the crook of her neck. Then her fingers clenched around the while collar of the asari's patented jacket. Tevos pulled on them, her voice that sounded near Aria's crest was shaky, but loud and demanding.

"Don't you dare say that! Our daughter was a blessing, the best thing we have done in our lives! Don't you dare say you'd ever regret having her!"

"I won't. I promise." whispered Aria agreeably wishing desperately that it would be enough. Holding Tevos close like that, it brought back all that she was thinking before she entered the apartment. Hopefully, there was still a chance for them. Somehow that calmed the blue skinned asari a bit, her arms slid down snaking comfortably around Aria's waist. Their sigh came out in unison, both bodies relaxing, melting into the embrace.

"She was something, wasn't she? Our Linara. Watching her grow, it was incredible. Remember how she levitated her first object?"

Aria chuckled. "I do. It was a plate with my dinner in it. She ruined a pair of my favorite pants. Remember when she told us she was going to become a commando? I thought you were gonna have a heart attack!" Tevos smiled into the purple skin of Aria's neck.

"She had given us so much love and warmth. I would never regret having her, no matter how her loss hurts."

Aria pulled her lovers head off her shoulder letting her hands cup the lower half of that blue face. Thea would not open her eyes. Yet she leaned into the caress so naturally it finally felt like the barrier separating them was lowering.

"I'm sorry." she murmured softly kissing her closed eyes. The taste of salt lingered on her lips reminding the powerful asari how much Tevos had to have cried over these horrible two years. She cradled her face in her palms running her thumbs over the cheek bones wiping away the tears, then kissing those cheek bones. "I am so sorry." Aria felt it as Thea relaxed more letting out a shaking sigh. She could not help adding: "You are right, you know."

"I usually am. What about this time?" there was definitely a bit of irony returning to that silvery voice.

"Linara. She gave us more happiness than we could possibly foresee. Shouldn't that happiness tip the scale in its favor?"

"Maybe..." drawled the other asari hesitantly. She did not opened her eyes and it seems was not planning on doing it any time soon. Aria sighed and began what she really came here to do.

"Wouldn't you agree that she would want to see us happy? Because right now we are not."

"I'm sure she would, but it's not that easy."

"Why not? Why can't we just stop dwelling in misery and let ourselves feel something positive for a change?"

"Aria, it's not like flipping a switch. Grieving doesn't simply disappear once you decide to move on. Especially for our people. The long life span comes with its disadvantages. Sometimes I envy the salarians." she added wistfully.

"Well, you really shouldn't. The lizard-people can not form relationships. They can't fall in love."

"Oh, Aria, you really ought to be careful or I might begin to suspect there is a romantic hidden behind all that criminal outlaw exterior!"

"What if there is and I have been carefully hiding that part until today?"

"What do you mean?" Thea smiled almost the same smile the regal asari remembered from before the terrible tragedy almost brought them asunder.

"Keep your eyes closed." ordered Aria and stepped back. She dove into her pocket coaxing out the silvery metallic box. It was no bigger than the palm of her hand. Flat and round it sat on her opened palm gleaming in the dim lights. The pirate Queen examined it with a strangely enjoyable feeling, her lips formed an amused smirk. It was no more than a formality at this point, but it still held certain importance. Neither of them was in a position to ask, thus fully conscious of who they were neither ever did. Never broached the subject, never entertained the idea. Well, it was about time to cross that line and all the unimportant obstacles be damned!

"Thea, I have to tell you something and you have to keep your eyes closed until I say, alright?"

"What are you scheming, Aria? I'm not sure this will work the second time." drawled Tevos slowly, but she did not open her eyes. Aria chuckled at the implication.

"It is not what you think. Some other time it surely would be. Not today. We... We have known each other for – how long has it been? - five hundred years give or take a few decades? You know I have not been the one to admit to what we have easily. You had to practically blackmail me to start calling you my lover in the very beginning. However, that had changed a long time ago. You made me understand, forced me to face the truth. I always wanted, always needed more than just my dream, the perfect place to make a home for myself. I can't remember when exactly it happened, but I realized that you were too valuable, too important to let go. From that moment on it wasn't just the irresistible, intoxicating urge beyond my control that drove me to you. It was my choice and honest desire not to be ever parted. That connection we had was... _is_ more precious than all the space stations in the Traverse. Thea, I love you. I have not said it often enough. We have been one for a lifetime and I know you would never ask this of me, well, you don't have to. I... open your eyes, please."

Tevos opened her eyes and blinked rapidly trying to adjust to the light after keeping her eyes closed for a while. Once she could see clearly her gaze snapped to Aria's face, there was an almost mesmerized expression spreading over her features. A speech like that was a rare occurrence for the pirate Queen, actually something like that never happened before. Thea's captivated green eyes searched the blue ones on the purple face for... she did not even known what, then slowly they traveled lower along the outstretched arm to the metallic round box on the palm of the purple skinned hand.

The fingers of the other just as purple hand found the cleverly hidden button that unlocked the box. The top layer slid to the side revealing two multicolored bands that were coiled together inside.

"Thea Tevos, would you agree to bind wrists with me? Against all reason and logic, at the end of times, just before the certain death of our civilization. Will you swear to bind yourself to me as I will swear to bind myself to you? Until either of our long lives end. Until the Temples are standing in the face of the Goddess. Bonded for Eternity. In this life or another."

The blue skinned asari let out a shocked whimper. Her wide eyes darted from the box with the bonding bracelets to the serious, almost ceremonial face of the other asari. Aria looked even more regal than ever. Tevos caught herself wondering how did she even known the proper ritualistic formula? The most traditional one at that! Of course, the bit about the end of civilization and imminent death was improvised, but still.

Thea reached out with her arm in a trance, the white haze was clouding her head. Trembling blue fingers reached the box, hesitantly touched the masterfully woven bracelets.

"Yes..." the breathless whisper left her lips without so much as a thought.

"Yes?" Aria's strong purr was suddenly closer, the purple skinned asari was leaning in, her blue eyes blazing with intense, unbearable desire and yet there was as much if not more softness, tender warmth in them. She did not lie about the way she felt. Love was indeed guiding her offer, not anything else. Yet her strong presence alone was enough to whisk away the sweet haze that was clouding the Councilor's rational mind.

"No!" Tevos jerked back her hand as if it had been burned and clutched it to her chest. "This is insane, Aria! What are you doing? Have you thought about the consequences? We can't!"

"Yes, we can! I don't care about the little things anymore! For all we know this might be our last days! We deserve it." she drew closer staring directly into her eyes. There was suddenly some desperation in her whole being, the posture, the way Aria crooked her neck, the way she was trying to hide how much her hesitation hurt.

"Why are you doing this? We have never... I though it was clear that proper bonding was out of the question. We are who we are, there is no way."

"Who cares about the bloody obstacles! The politics and traditions? Danger? Perhaps what the people would say? Fuck them. Fuck them _all_. We will either win or loose this war. We could win in witch case half the galaxy will still be dead and the other half will be in ruins, you think anyone will have time to put their noses in our business? The matriarchs? Screw the matriarchs! If we loose there won't be anything left anyway. I want us to keep what we always had! For however long we have I want to at least try and keep some happiness in my life! I can't let it all fall apart! I won't loose you to the fucking memory of what I had already lost!"

Tevos stepped back. She lowered her gaze to the floor letting her left arm hang at her side and clutching at it with her right. Her voice was full of pain and guilt, but it seemed like she made up her mind.

"Aria... This can not be fixed with a talk. Or by proposing bonding. The offer had made me happy. It truly did. Yes, for a fleeting moment it made me the happiest damn person on this station, but... Doesn't change what happened. It will take time. Honestly, I don't know if we _can_ recover from this. I'm sorry."

Aria stood there speechless. All her arguments were beaten, her trump card did not win her the game. It was over. The small box closed on its own and slipped out of her weakening fingers. The proud asari slumped her shoulders, slowly turned around and staggered towards the door as if dragging an immense weight with her.

Just before she could reach the door she heard hurried steps behind her. The next moment she was slammed into the metal frame, frantic hands turned her around and pressed her back to the surface of the door. Normally, that would not have worked. The pirate Queen was always on her guard, her biotics and physical strength rivaled that of a krogan, no one could just spin her round like a plush doll toy! This time, however, she was beaten. All the force, pride and resolve was drained out of her by that rejection. There was barely anything left.

Aria found herself being held in place by two gloved hands, her eyes traveled up the slim upper arms, round open shoulders and long neck to stop on Thea's face. The tears were still there, but desperation and guilt left. Something intense, overwhelming was in her green eyes.

"I will." she breathed out. Before Aria could ask what was that about the other asari darted forward capturing her mouth in a rough kiss. Tevos took her in immediately throwing Aria's heart into the beating frenzy, she teased her smell and taste, but broke off the kiss biting on the purple lower lip. Her palms grasped at Aria's face, thumbs digging slightly painfully in her cheek bones. She forced both of them to stare each other in the eyes, the green ones burning with a strong mixture of feelings, so many that was hard to separate them from one another.

"I will bind wrists with you, Aria T'Loak." her voice was strong, much higher than usual and without that calculating predetermination to it, passions were ruling the Councilor right now. "For one night, this night, I will bask in the glorious feeling of being your bondmate. Whatever happens tomorrow, let us have this night. If the Reapers attack, we wake up one of these days only to be harvested or the realities catch up to us in the morning... For this night we belong to each other. As it was always supposed to be."

"One night..." drawled Aria, a predatory, harsh mask returning to her darkening face.

"One night. I want to drown myself in you just as much as you want to. I don't want to be haunted by her loss! I don't want to worry about the consequences anymore! I am tired to be concerned about politics more than my own happ..."

But Thea did not had the chance to continue her tirade as Aria's hungry lips were on hers and her exhilarated leather clad arms were clasping at her back. The whole body of the pirate Queen that just a moment ago was departed of all its strength was brimming with new found might, the urgency and almost desperate need to have her. Drown all their worries, all the pain, loss and hurt in each other. The need was almost too powerful to not begin the meld right then and there, but both of them wanted to feel each other more. To press skin against skin.

Strong hands tugged at the hems of her jacket trying to get it off, but it was not a simple task. Aria's hands were roaming all over Thea's back in search for the clasps. In the thick haze that had came over their minds neither could solve the problem of undressing as fast the they wanted. Their mouths were still intertwined in the deep kiss not separating for a moment. Aria's hands slipped lower to the hem of the black and blue dress. She took one slender leg and drove it close to her side pulling and caressing the thigh, the other hand was determined to slip in between.

"No." Tevos broke the kiss. The loud smack made them both shiver. "No barriers. Get rid of this... first." She was breathless, barely able to push the words past her throat. Yet the meaning was clear. She tugged at the jacket again and let out an annoyed moan. Their eyes met again and the fire burning there send them both in a frenzy. The war did not matter, who they were did not matter, what happened before did not matter. They were past the point of caring about anything. The only things left in the universe were their bodies and the need, almost painful need to taste each other, to become one.

Biotics flared around the blue shoulders quickly running lower to the glowed hands. The hands grasped at the white leather and pulled. It cracked, ripped and the famous jacket of the Queen of Omega was torn apart, the pieces were thrown away unceremoniously. Aria did not stay inactive: her dark energy flowed over her body illuminating it with blue, the strong purple fingers got a hold of the front of the dress reducing it to shreds with little effort. Immediately as the view of Thea's breasts was revealed Aria bend down and nibbled at the irresistible line between them making her lover bend her spine and moan in pure pleasure. She returned the favor a minute later ripping the straps and buckles off of Aria's corset and revealing her muscular torso.

The sounds of ripping clothes filled the room as they stumbled towards the bed. Kissing and biting and caresses of more and more revealed flesh were interrupted by another strong tug of biotics, the sound of screaming fabric and another scrap of their clothes being torn away.

The last to be discarded were the high heeled shoes and knee-high leather boots. Without a stitch on them two asari figures – one blue, the other purple – fell on the bed not stopping their rediscovery of each other even for a second. Aria flipped them around sliding firmly on top of the gorgeous blue skinned form. She lowered her face to the left breast pulling the nipple into her mouth sucking and flicking it with her tongue. The blue lips above let out another moan, her hands were on Aria's crest massaging the folds with skilled fingers.

The Queen's fingers traveled down caressing the flat abdomen and round hips. She placed her hands on the blue thighs and pulled Tevos' legs up and apart. One of the arms slid between them searching for the familiar spot. The wetness coated her fingers and there she was – at Thea's center, feeling her, entering her, sending waves of pleasure up that quivering and arching body. This is how it would always begin with Aria taking her time, teasing and prodding, extending the pleasure until she would send her beloved Thea over the edge. But not this time.

Tevos shifted under her arm, pulled up and somehow flipped them around. Now she was on top. The blue skinned body pressed tightly to the purple one. Aria's fingers were still inside working their magic, however as Tevos rose above her she immediately got where the other asari was going. She withdrew with a small sigh of disappointment and smirked at the whimper at the loss that slipped past Tevos' tightly closed lips. She let Thea do what she wanted reclining on her back and spreading her legs, letting the blue fingers get a hold of them. Tevos shifted moving them both into position and sliding ever closer.

Together with the first thrust and the sharp wave of pleasure rippling from where they met all the way up Aria's body she felt the slight buzzing at the back of her head. Throwing a quick glance at the asari on top sliding back and forth in unison with her she saw the blackness consuming her beautiful green eyes and eagerly welcomed the meld. It came in a flash as her own eyes went black and everything shuddered, shimmered and glowed in the buzzing blue of biotics. The powerful tingle of dark energy crawling up their moving bodies, intermingling, seeping into each other. The energy formed a cocoon around them, crackled, rippled and... opened up like the bud of a flower.

Their minds flowed into each other. There were no shields, no barriers anymore. Lust and burning hot desire rushed in an avalanche of physical sensations doubled in their intensity through the connection. Every synapse, every inch of skin and every nerve was interlocked, fused becoming one and the same. The joining flared filling them up with growing, insurmountable need for release. Somewhere underneath the haze of physical bliss their feelings and memories mixed forgotten for the moment.

Tevos sped up her movements clutching tighter at one purple leg, the asari beneath her answered in kind quickening and sliding closer in her own thrusts. The need intensified, compressed, drew itself into a thin quivering tether. It buzzed and brimmed with their pleasure ready to burst at any moment sending flashes of hot prickles over their skin. The tether tightened with tension, stretched to the very last possible limit... and broke.

Both bodies arched and screamed in unison. The supernova of release shuddered, blazed in their bodies and minds. Orgasm rippled through the connected, over-stimulated nerve endings repeating itself, reflecting from one part of the connected whole to the other until they could not take it anymore. The second release came stronger still. The biotic flower around them exploded sending flashes and whips of dark energy about the room, strong cone of it hit directly in the ceiling leaving it scorched. The eyes of two asari faces still screaming silently sparkled with blue light and closed.

Tevos collapsed onto the purple form beneath breathless and covered with tiny drops of sweat. Her tensed muscles slowly relaxed in the afterglow and a moment later she felt a hand gently caress her back. The presence in her mind was incredibly strong, monolithic, but the gentle stream of warm tenderness was what almost made her forget how to breathe. They both were there. Inseparable, closer than anyone not being an asari could fathom. In the deepest joining their memories, feelings and bodies became one. One entity, one mind, all shared. They did not loose their personalities, rather they existed together in one space instead of two.

The purple skinned arms closed around thin waist pressing the precious asari laying atop Aria tighter to her. She felt as Thea's crest lowered comfortably to her chest and she let out a contented sigh teasing the purplish nipple with her hot breath. Aria's thoughts caressed her bondmate's. It was elating to refer to Thea that way. They were bonded before, nothing could have changed that, the bond existed for centuries, but to acknowledge it, even to herself... It was more than Aria ever thought it would be. The feeling of having her near again, drinking her scent and taste, reacting as every nerve in their bodies reflected what they both felt. Exhilarating. Beyond compare. Pure, undiluted bliss. The thoughts formed naturally, no lies, restraints or hesitations holding them back.

"_I have missed you."_

"_Me, too. I love you."_

"_I know."_

They lay together savoring the feeling of belonging, not wanting to separate until the joining slowly dissipated. Yet just before it did there was a thought. It was not clear witch mind it originated from. Tevos rose her head putting her chin on Aria's chest. Their eyes met. Clear eyes not clouded by the meld. Green eyes stared into the blue ones. Both sets had the same sparkling, devilish expression in them reacting to the very same thought that occurred in the meld. To one of them, either of them or both of them at the same time? It did not matter. Because the idea itself was immediately agreed upon with barely contained enthusiasm and sincere, welcomed desire.

"_Care to go again?"_

**. . .**

The purple muscular form laying on her stomach surrounded by the wrinkled mess of white sheets rustled awake. Aria rose her head up slowly surveying with beery eyes her surroundings. She was laying on the bed, although instead of sleeping like a normal person she was sprawled diagonally across the bed with one of her legs resting on the half thrown off pillow near the headboard. Out of all the sheets bunched up on either side only one was barely covering her below the waist, but still leaving her purple legs below the knees open to the air.

The floor of the main room was covered with what was left of their clothes. Scraps ripped by biotics lay here and there and when Aria saw a cleanly torn peace of her white jacket next to a slice of leather off of her pants, she could not suppress a disappointed groan.

However, the longing thought of her favorite clothing articles was immediately pushed out of her mind when Aria figured what was missing from the bed. Tevos was not here. Nor was she anywhere to be seen. The other asari left. A sinking, cold feeling crawled up her spine and coiled in her stomach making Aria dizzy, unwell. It was a night of goodbyes just as she feared. She had lost her after all. The prideful asari rolled onto her back and rubbed her forehead with both palms. The only thing she had left was to go out and give it her all in the fight to save this fucked up galaxy. Either die trying, witch was way more likely, or hope that after all is dealt and done something of her world would still remain standing. If they survive, after Aria would get Omega back, she will try again. This night could not have made it clearer – Tevos was hers. As much as Aria belonged to Thea. A long time ago she did not want to admit to it, did not want to say it out loud even to herself. A weakness, something for her enemies to use against her.

It newer was. A weakness. Not by a long shot. Now, and for more than a few centuries, she felt like Thea was an extension of herself. They were always connected. Bonded. Even if neither wore a bracelet the ties that connected them were stronger than some piece of jewelry or a status the asari traditions deemed necessary for some dumb reason. Well, fuck them! No one cares about that idiotic bracelet anyway!

She moved her palms lower to her eyes and groaned loudly in helpless annoyance at herself. Thea cared. The way her face lit up in one split second at the sight of them! The blue skinned asari wanted it, but her rational mind was too used to dictate her life. Once she had made a decision guided by love, that's how their long relationship first truly began, then again she agreed to keep Linara, to raise and love her guided by the same feeling. But it backfired. It burned her, ruptured her heart. Aria could not blame Tevos for not trusting that feeling anymore. Their lives had been complicated by this irrational, insistent connection to the limit as it was.

No. However complicated it was, however much hardship it had cost them, Aria would have never taken it back. From that first moment her eyes found the young student with her spine straight, only one white line below her lower lip instead of the full set of facial tattoos, the proud, even a bit arrogant gleam to those green eyes, from that moment on she never regretted intertwining their lives together, not for one second out of more than five hundred years! Twice she tried to run away and twice Tevos had changed her mind. This time it was Aria's turn. She would not give up on them. If what Thea needed was time, she would give her time, but never, not before the the threat of annihilation of all life, certainly not before the threat of the matriarchs not approving of them, not in any way would she ever accept that it would be, could be over between them.

All that was left was to deal with the Reapers. The purple skinned asari let out a soft laugh. Kilometer long dumb machines devoid of emotion, fear, weakness? Yes, but also lacking determination, fury, a real, living, breathing reason to fight for! All the Reapers had was their programming. What could that do against the drive of honest, brutal passion? A cunning smile curved the feared asari's lips. Thea needed time? She will give her time, all the time in the universe! And she will try to make it work as many times as it takes. She _will_ make that gleam in those stunning green eyes at the sight of the bracelets stay, fill those green windows into Thea's heart with that honest feeling without any pretense to could it. For as long as they both live.

Suddenly a rush of panic made her tense up. She sat up abruptly scanning the room with fervid urgency. Aria could not see _it_ anywhere. She jumped on her feet rushing all over the room upturning all possible items, shuffling through the mess of ripped clothes on the floor. It was gone. The small metallic box. The box still containing their bonding bracelets. Aria stood in the middle of the room breathless and at a loss at what to do – a very rare occurrence in her experience. She was standing in silence listening for something to give her the inspiration to figure out a way to find them, get the bracelets back. And then she heard it.

_Ding! _

Soft noise of the coffeemaker, the intriguing human invention that had become very popular all over the place ever since they joined the galactic stage.

Aria slowly turned towards the opened door to her right leading to the kitchen. She swallowed and stalked in that direction with tensed, agitated posture as if expecting an assassin to jump out at her at any moment. She was not bothered by her nakedness in the slightest. Past the door there was a short corridor and then she came into the room that greeted her with white walls, wooden and metallic surfaces, large, gleaming appliances and... the blue skinned asari in a white robe seating down at the high bar with a mug of steaming black liquid in her hands. The silvery unopened metallic box was laying next to her.

"Thea..."

The asari at the bar looked at her raising a brow muscle that curved her white facial tattoos.

"Do you like to parade around naked or is this a proposition? How about breakfast first, at the very least?"

Aria did not react to the light banter. She moved closer on not so firm legs not daring to believe in what she was seeing. She leaned on the bar hard spreading her hands wide and searching that blue face intently. The question hung in the air. All the thoughts that bothered the pirate Queen upon discovering she was alone in the bad rushed in the jumbled kaleidoscope through her blue eyes. Tevos glanced at her tensed posture, the intensity of that questioning gaze, sighed and put the mug down.

"You, no doubt, expected me to be gone. Honestly, I thought I would be. We were supposed to have this night. Just one night of freedom from everything. But..." she sighed again and suddenly a small smile appeared on her lips. "I realized something this morning. Waking up next to you, having you be near, it made everything better."

"Yeah, I would hope so. The sex was out of this world as the humans say." drawled Aria masking her anxiety with a cough. Thea laughed lightly and her smile grew.

"That was not what I meant, although I can't disagree with that statement. You see, I was wrong. Not in anything I said yesterday. We do need time and I'm still not sure if we can move on past what happened to Linara, if we can survive that at all. What I know is that I want to try. Back two years ago, after I saw it all..." she swallowed, the shadow of past pain coming over her face, yet it was chased away by another smile. "Back then seeing you, being near you only served to bring back the pain. It was my grief fed off yours, grew until it consumed me whole and I could not take it anymore. Last night was different. Instead of increasing all the misery, reminding me of our loss, your presence gave me strength like it always used to. The worries and problems and the hurt melted away. I know now how wrong I was. We don't just need time, more than anything we need each other. I'm going to sound like such a cliché, but the only thing stronger than grief is love. And I love you. More than anything."

"I..." Aria swallowed, this was unexpected. "I love you, too." She faltered unsure of what to say next.

Tevos gently, carefully moved the silvery box on the bar to sit squarely between them and pressed the hidden button. Top lid opened swiveling to the side. The two bands were still sitting inside undisturbed by everything that had been happening about them throughout the night.

"I thought my answer only lasted until morning. It is morning and that answer did not change. I will bind wrists with you, Aria T'Loak. I don't know what future awaits us. I don't know if we will be dead come tomorrow, I can't guarantee if we can let go of our daughter if everything works out and we get to live our lives in peace. All I know is that I refuse to have any future without you in it. Without you any life would be meaningless."

"Are you absolutely sure? No second thoughts about our positions or what the matriarchs will say?"

Instead of answering that Thea simply reached into the box, scooped one of the bands out of its comfortable velvet nest and slowly, meaningfully fixed it on her left wrist. The intricately woven bracelet was made out of special threads, they were imported from Thessia all over the galaxy. Of all imaginable colors, they reminded of some odd mixture between metallic-looking carapace of an insect and the leathery skin of some amphibian animal. The colors were dull only slightly shimmering like the polished metal, changing its shade just slightly in the different angles of the light. The ones Aria had chosen were of three colors. Deep purple and dark blue compromised the bulk of the bracelets with several white threads added to finish the pattern. They traced the whole length of the band going in and out making it seem like a splash of foam over the roaring wave in the sunset light. It looked stunning on the blue skin of Tevos' wrist and it fit her perfectly.

"Aren't you going to put yours on, Aria? Your bondmate might begin suspecting you are the one having second thoughts."

The Queen's eyes flew up from the beautiful band on Thea's wrist to her face. There was this incredible smile on her. It illuminated her eyes, softened her features, made her whole face shine. Something in the chest of the trained commando, feared Queen of Omega hitched at the sight of it.

"Never."

She pushed the word past her lips emptying the box and carefully locking the bracelet about her own wrist. It wrapped comfortably around, cool threads felt incredibly real on her skin. Aria thought the band would remind her of its existence all the time, be a distraction, but instead it felt natural, like an extension of her own skin. The purple skinned asari stared at the physical, tangible proof of the bond between them, the representation of their love for anyone to see. The thought was at once slightly frightening and unbelievably reassuring. She raised her gaze to Thea, her bondmate. _Her bondmate._ Aria spine straightened up, unrelenting power pouring into her veins.

"I will make you the happiest asari that ever lived! I swear."

"No, you won't." Thea let out a laugh at her affronted expression. "Because I'm going to beat you to it!"

Aria watched her bondmate laugh freely and openly feeling a new, elating determination raising in her chest. The Reapers had nothing on that! The galaxy will be saved, especially now that Aria T'Loak had something to say about it.

**. . .**

"Thea, hurry it up!" the regal asari was sitting on a couch leisurely scrolling through the datapad in front of her. She heard muffled movement from behind her back and turned her head slightly glancing away from the device in her hand.

Tevos stepped out of the enormous walk-in closet fixing the strap of her Omni-tool. She was wearing a gorgeous if quite strict long black dress. Long lines, high collar, almost complete absence of any patterns except for several thin white lines, no cut outs to let the world see her gleaming blue skin. Shoulder length gloves accompanied the outfit as always. It was a model of distant, formal, even a bit overly official image of the proper and authoritative Councilor. Yet she made it look... incredible. The soft fabric clung tightly to the skin underlining her slender figure and that color wrapping itself around that delicious body immediately made Aria want to take it off. She swallowed, licked her lips.

"Perhaps, we should just stay in. I can think of a much better use for that dress." her voice was slow, promising. The expertly chosen overtones taking root in the brain prodding the imagination to supply the vivid picture of what could be happening right now.

Thea stopped in her tracks, she took one swooshing breath through her teeth. It took her a moment to chase away the insistent image of what exactly Aria would do to her in that dress. She shook her head slightly and returned to the problem with the band of her Omni-tool.

"I'm sure that would be wonderful, but we have to leave in twenty minutes and I am not redoing the clasps on my dress. Furthermore, you have this tendency to rip my clothes off so I'd rather not risk this particular dress."

"I know you like it when I do that. Maybe we should put your apparent indifference to the test." drawled the asari as if making to get up.

"I said, no, Aria. Have some patience. It's important to me that we be there on time." the serious frown did not leave Tevos' face as she fiddled with the stubborn lock.

"Spoilsport." humped Aria getting back to her datapad with both disappointed and amused smirk.

Thea finally got her device sorted out and moved to check on the small terminal on a desk at the wall. She was scrolling through the walls of text making mental notes of certain things. She looked down the endless list of emails marking some as urgent, some as slightly less urgent. Sending a few notes to her assistant Tevos finally noticed a personal email being almost lost among the never ending pile of work related correspondence. She opened it up and skimmed the contents her eyes widening by the minute. She let out a small chuckle after getting to the end. Without turning around she thew over her shoulder:

"Honey, did you know that Shepard will be at the ceremony?"

"No, the damned redhead never keeps in contact. And I was so accommodating letting her sleep it off on my couch! Not to mention all the firepower I got her for the war. Some people are just ungrateful bastards."

"You don't mean that."

"Nah." easily agreed Aria."Shepard's alright. If only she was less concerned with pleasing the Alliance, but that's a rather unattainable thing to wish for. Is she going to be at that thing?"

"If by 'that thing' you mean the welcoming ceremony in honor of the official representative of the Terminus Systems, then yes. You really don't like being put on the spot, do you?"

"I'm not a politician. I will not play your slippery games. All I care about is making sure everyone remembers what's mine is mine."

"Somehow I knew you'd say that."

"Yeah-yeah. So is she planning to bring that cute little asari with her? The one Shepard had been dragging with her all this time and not sharing?"

"Aria, stop it. They are bonded. And yes, Admiral Shepard is bringing her bondmate to the ceremony. She had just written to me to give a heads up. Apparently they wanted to use this occasion to make an announcement. It's a rather curious coincidence. Liara is pregnant."

Aria whistled not taking her eyes away from the datapad. "Way to go, Shep! Knocking her wife up only two years after getting reassembled herself! She's got a quad on her. In fact, that human is made of stronger materials than I gave her credit for. What about the coincidence?"

"Well, the timing of this announcement is rather on the nose as the humans say."

Aria sighed. "Thea, love, I'm not one of your politicians. I do not want to waist time on guessing. Don't play those bullshit word games with me. Unless it's foreplay." she chucked. "What's up?"

The Councilor slowly turned around and walked closer leaning on her forearms against the back of the couch. She pursed her lips, then a devilish smile appeared on them.

"What do you remember of the previous night?"

The purple skinned asari finally put the datapad away, shifted in her seat to have a better view of her bondmate and grinned one of her predatory smiles.

"Well, it was a long night. I have devoured you on the desk in the study, then against the wall in the corridor. Then we had some food and I could not help but take you on the kitchen floor. After that we made it to the bedroom and fucked all night like wild animals... do I have to go into details? I can paint you a pretty good picture, however, I'd rather _show_ you."

Thea smiled at her with a gleam in her green eyes. "Later. What is the last thing you remember before we got to sleep?"

Aria pursed her lips with a frown. She was not sure what the other asari was getting at. She shrugged her leather clad shoulders and answered with the truth.

"I don't fully... It's kind of a blur. We probably passed out from over-stimulation. Not a bad way to go to sleep."

"Last night." Thea was speaking slowly, her eyes became deep capturing Aria's and drowning them. "I took from you. And you let me."

The pirate Queen breathed out, her mouth stayed slightly opened. The world was fading away as only Tevos' deep green eyes, her smiling, illuminated face remained in it. That nostalgic feeling, the similarity of this conversation were pulling at the strings of her very soul. There was a jolt of fear, the sharp pang of past pain, but they were almost immediately overwhelmed by the rush of joy, full on jubilation.

"Are you saying what I think you are saying?" whispered Aria getting to her feet and slowly walking around the couch while not taking her eyes off the most beautiful face she ever saw.

"Yes. You are going to be a father, dear. Congratulations."

Something hitched in her chest when Aria drew her bondmate closer, wrapped her arms around her waist and pressed her hips to her own. Their foreheads met with Thea snuggling gently onto hers. They closed their eyes together drawing warmth and strength from each others presence. There was nothing anymore outside of those arms, outside the other pair of arms snaking around her neck.

"Are you sure we are ready?" Aria had to ask, the whisper was barely audible as if she was afraid of the answer and she was.

"There is nothing I want more than this. I know you want the same. We have lived in the shadow of her death long enough. It's time to move on, to be happy. Don't you want this?"

"I do." drawled the pirate Queen. "I want you and this child. And Omega. I will never stop wanting it all. Are you alright with that?"

"Do you have to ask? I knew more about you than you yourself did all those years ago back on Armali. My answerer did not change. Not then, not now. I love you. No matter what. This is not a burden, it's a start of something wonderful."

The last of Aria's defenses fell, she was no longer the regal, dangerous and unmoving Queen of Omega, she was that young commando again. Rash, more honest and madly in love.

"I love you so damn much." she whispered before their lips met. The kiss was like a drug, Thea was like a drug. The intoxicating smell of her skin, the cool touch of her blue fingers on her face, the maddening sensations of her lips and tongue. She was there under her arms, Aria pulled the asari closer molding their bodies together, spreading her hands on the slim back. The kiss lasted as long as it was possible, their lungs burned from the lack of breath, only pain and dizziness had made them stop and part their lips to grasp for air.

The pair found themselves against the wall. Tevos arched drawing her bondmate closer, taunting her to push the tightly wrapped in black form further into the wall. Aria leaned in to spread a chain of soft kissed on her blue face, every inch of it. The need burned in her like a volcano ready to erupt.

"I'm sorry, Thea, but we're going to be late." the words slipped Aria's lips almost against her will. The rasped, husky voice was full of lust, unbearable need to have her, to prove how strong their bond had always been.

That silvery laugh from those perfect lips made her blood singe with hot, burning desire. As Aria lowed her head to nibble at the irresistible jawline her mind filled up with sweet haze. And for the first time since that dreadful moment her eyes fell on the bloody form spread on the bed, for the first time in years she could truly let go of all of it. The memories would stay, both the good and the bad ones, reminders of what had been and what could have been, of what she had managed to preserve and what she had lost. But that bottomless well of pain that had found its place in her chest had finally been completely, to the brim, filled up with joy and happiness. It disappeared without a trace.

The road to this moment, the journey through the years had been not an easy one. Hell, it took a Reaper invasion to bring them back together again! Yet all of it was worth it. So many years ago Thea was right. She was always right. It just took a while for Aria to listen. She was always a stubborn one. Still, right now everything fell into place. Everything she wanted, dreamed about, even without fully realizing she wanted it, needed it. What a strange feeling! Aria thought she had to fight, to struggle to get what she wanted, to keep what she had. But in that moment it was given to her willingly, all she had to do was let Thea make her happy.

This time she will have it all again. The purple skinned asari wanted it, desired more than anything. And she will have it. There was no stopping her now: once she set her mind on something, it had to be hers.

Otherwise she would not be Aria T'Loak.

The End.


End file.
